Vent affdjpfieflsure plug for barrels



(No Model.)

H. CASE & J G. LEE. VENT ANILPRESSURE PLUG FOR BABRELS. No. 591,156.

Patented Oct. 5,1897

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i so STATES HENRY CASE AND JOHN GIBSON LEE, OF GLOVERSVILLE, NEWV YORK,ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO CHRISTOPHER BENSON OADMAN, OF

SAME PLACE.

VENT AND PRESSURE-PLUG FOR BARRELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,156, dated October5, 1897.

Application filed March 5, 1897- T0 crZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY CASE and JOHN GIBSON LEE, citizens of'theUnited States, re-

siding at Gloversville, in the county of Fulton.

for the venting of and the application of pres-f sure to barrelscontaining carbonated liquids, such as ale, for the purpose of drawingthe contents from the barrels without loss of the contained fluid.

drill variety, applied. to a faucet-like body, the body having appliedto it a cap containing a valve seating with the internal pressure, thecap and the body having vent-openings which may be brought intoalinement for the purpose of venting and also for the purpose ofclearing out obstructions, and the cap having means for connecting witha pressurepump or other such like pressure-applying device. The body isalso provided with ventopenings, which when the device is in place inthe barrel extend into the pi'essure space within the barrel. i

The device is applied to the barrel by driving the point through thebung or barrel and forcing the body into the barrel through the holethus made.

Having thus stated the principle of our invention, we will proceed nowto describe the best mode in which we have contemplated applying thatprinciple, and then will particularly point out and distinctly claim thepart, improvement, or combination which we claim as our invention.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating our invention, in the severalfigures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is anelevationshowing our invention applied to a barrel, which is shown insection and arranged for applying pressure. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection. Fig. 3 is also a vertical section showing the parts in positionfor venting. Fig. i is a plan view of the body of the de- Serial No.625,937. (No model.)

vice. Fig. 5 is a vertical section showing a modification. Fig. 6 is anelevation of a cleaning device for clearing out stoppage.

The body a of the device may be constructed as a tube whose outersurface is tapered and whose pointb is provided with a boring-point c,which preferably is made as a twist-drill. The shank d of theboring-point is slabbed off at its sides, as indicated more particularlyin Figs. 2 and 4., and is fitted within the point I) of the body in apermanent manner, the slabbed-off sides allowing passage-ways e ethrough the body at. Next tothese slabbedoff sides the point is providedwith lateral holes f. The device of our invention comprises aboring-point or bit, preferably of the twist- Instead of using a boringpoint with slabbed-off sides we may make a groove g in one side of acylindrical shank, as shown in Fig. 5.

The body a is provided with a shoulder 72, and from this shoulderproject the arms c', which afford means for rotating the body to insertit intothe bungj or a stave of the barrel. Above the shoulder is anexternally screw-threaded head lo. An oblique or other passage Z is madethrough the shoulder into the bore of the body, as shown more especiallyin Fig. 3.

A tubular cap on, having an internal screwthread, is applied to the headit, and when turned home its lower edge rests upon a packing or, laid ontop of the shoulder h. This cap m is provided with a bottom flange m, inwhich is made an opening m which is designed to be brought into registerwith the passage Z in the body for a purpose presently appearing. Thiscap is also provided with lateral armso for rotating it. Asolid rubberor other ball-valve p is arranged in the upper end of the cap or and issustained in position therein in any suitable manner, as by one or morecross-bars q of such small dimensions as not to interfere with thepassage of the fluid. This ball-valve p is normally set to hose or pipeZmay be applied. The coupling-piece r is also provided withlaterallyprojecting arms 4", by which it may be rotated.

The use and operation of our invention may be stated as follows:

The barrel to be operated upon is placed so as to bring its side bunguppermost, as in Fig. 1, and then, by rotation of the body by means ofthe arms 2', the said device is driven through the bung and the bodyforced into the hole thus made by the boring-point until the vents f arewithin the barrel. The gas within the barrel then escapes through thevent openings and passages Z, thus overcoming the liability of theescape of a portion of the liquid contents of the barrel in theapplication of the device. If the cap m had not been previously applied,it is then applied and turned so that its opening m is out of registerwith the opening Z. The pressure in the barrel seats the ball-valve, sothat there is no escape in that direction, and the liquid contents ofthe barrel may be drawn as re quired. When the pressure in the barrelfalls to so low apoint as that the liquid contents may be no longerdrawn, the pressure apparatus is started and the pressure fed throughthe pipe 25, which pressure will displace the ball-valve p and enter thebarrel and thus start the fiow to the draft apparatus. If at any timethereafter it becomes necessary to vent the barrel, the cap maybe givena turn until its opening m registers with the passage Z, and thus theventing of the barrel effected.

If the device should become clogged, the passages Z and we may bebrought into alinement and a wire, such as shown in Fig. 6 and,indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, may be. inserted and pushed downuntil the passages are cleared.

The common practice of venting barrels is by boring a hole therein witha brace and bit or gimlet, and this results in considerable loss of theliquid contents of the barrels and it is also destructive to the insideof the barrel. Sometimes in venting in this way the bit he comes loosein the brace and drops through; into the barrel. It is also damaging tothe bung and the staves because of the production of splinters. Afterthe fluid has been drawn off the barrel contains air-pressure to theamount oftentimes of upward of fifteen pounds, and in removing the bungby means of a mallet the bung is sometimes forced out with such violenceas to injure the operator. By our invention if the vent-passages Z and mare brought into alinement this confined air is allowed to escape, andthus the bung may be removed with safety and without the use of themallet. Further, by the use of our invention the necessity of drawingales and like fluids in pitchers and other vessels is obviated, inasmuchas the contents of a barrel supplied with our invention may be drawn offfrom the faucet.

By means of our invention the bung may be inserted into the barrel, andit may also be removed from the barrel without a mallet, the lateralarms suificing for both purposes.

By the use of the coupling for the pressuretube it is possible to runthe line of hose straight from the ceiling without liability of kinks.

We do not limit our invention to the use of an attached bit orboring-point, but prefer to supply such attached bit or boring-point.

What we claim is 1. In a combined vent and pressure apparatus forbarrels, a tubular body, having a boring-point provided with passagesbetween itself and the body, the body itself having a passage, as Z,communicating from outside the barrel with the interior of the body, andan independently-rotatable cap for opening and closing such passage,substantially as described.

2. In a combined vent and pressure apparatus, for barrels, a tubularbody, having a boring-point provided with passages between itself andthe body, the body itself having a passage, as Z, communicating fromoutside the barrel with the interior of the body, and an closing suchpassage, provided with a ballvalve for normally closing the apparatusagainst'loss of contents of the barrel, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands this 1st day ofMarch, A. D. 1897.

HENRY CASE. JOHN GIBSON LEE. Witnesses:

CHARLES H. FuRNEss, G. H. WITHERHEAD.

. independently-rotatable cap for opening and

